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House subcommittee hears debate over bill to codify rigs-to-reef program, splitting witnesses and lawmakers
Summary
The House subcommittee considered H.R. 5745, the Marine Fisheries Habitat Protection Act, which would standardize a federal process to allow eligible offshore platforms and pipelines to be reefed in place. Witnesses split along regional and sector lines: fisheries and state reef-program officials backed the measure; coastal restoration and worker-advocacy witnesses warned it could shift decommissioning costs and hinder restoration.
WASHINGTON — The Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources heard bipartisan testimony on H.R. 5745, the Marine Fisheries Habitat Protection Act, on Jan. 14, 2026, as lawmakers and witnesses debated whether codifying and expanding a federal rigs‑to‑reef program would protect marine habitat or shift cleanup burdens to states and taxpayers.
Chair Stauber opened the hearing saying the bill would "streamline and clarify" federal approvals and designate the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) as the lead federal agency to oversee reefing of eligible offshore structures. "This bill will deliver a strong win for Gulf States and marine ecosystems," the chair said during his opening remarks.
Supporters — including the bill sponsor, Rep. Ezell, scientists and state reef-program managers — said converting decommissioned platforms into permanent artificial reefs preserves habitat, supports fisheries and yields economic benefits for coastal communities. Dr. Greg Stuntz, a marine biologist at Texas A&M, testified that recent research shows…
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